Archery market (bows)

[BenHankins]

Not complaining because archery gives me joy but it is wild when we choose to spend $1500+ for a bare bow and within a year it’s worth half. Versus spend $1500 on a gun and it holds the value. Why do we do it? lol. Should bow manufacturers keep the same bow model for 2-3 years? Would that help or hurt the archery industry? Innovation has seemed to have really slowed down, will manufacturers ever move away from their current model?


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[BKM]

You don’t have to, I’ve been shooting a bow I bought in 2016 for $650 and it’s still killing very well.

There hasn’t been a bow out since that has made me want it enough to pull the trigger on it. It’s a lot of marketing not much innovation.

 

[butcherboy]

I usually buy the bow I want when I want. Which is usually about every 10-12 years. lol current one is 12 years old and going strong but I have the itch for a new bow. Definitely not a carbon though.

 

[def90]

Not complaining because archery gives me joy but it is wild when we choose to spend $1500+ for a bare bow and within a year it’s worth half. Versus spend $1500 on a gun and it holds the value. Why do we do it? lol. Should bow manufacturers keep the same bow model for 2-3 years? Would that help or hurt the archery industry? Innovation has seemed to have really slowed down, will manufacturers ever move away from their current model?


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If you shot a rifle as much as you shot a bow it wouldn't be worth $1500 after a year either.

Both of the bows I have bought in the last ten years were the end of year model clearance sales. Both times I bought $1600 bows for under $1k.

It's only expensive of you choose to make it expensive.

 

[BenHankins]

No I get it. I absolutely don’t have to, and mine I usually buy every 5 years or so. I am just wondering if the current business models will ever change.


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[IdahoBeav]

Innovation has seemed to have really slowed down. . .

Yep, when you compare a 2004, 2014, and 2024 bows, the '14 and '24 are close in performance and technology, while there is a huge difference between the '04 and '14.

 

[Geewhiz]

You don’t have to, I’ve been shooting a bow I bought in 2016 for $650 and it’s still killing very well.

There hasn’t been a bow out since that has made me want it enough to pull the trigger on it. It’s a lot of marketing not much innovation.

My thoughts exactly.

Ha I'm shooting a 13 model that I bought used in 14 and it kills just as good as any new bow.

 

[Axlrod]

Let me answer your question with a question. If you were a business owner, would you keep making LOTS of money, or stop?

 

[BenHankins]

Let me answer your question with a question. If you were a business owner, would you keep making LOTS of money, or stop?

I think you could have a business model where you didn’t have to change the product every single year. I don’t know of very many products that get a new name and a new product is released every year. Everything else seems to be still making money and doing just fine. My argument to your question is would bow manufacturers be better off not releasing a new product every year? I’d assume having to spend time designing new products, producing new products on top of making sure current inventory is available and gets sold before new product would be more costly than releasing a product every 2-3 years. Especially for companies outside of Mathew’s and Hoyt… think about companies like PSE that struggles to get product to the store owners. By the time owners get product, new product is soon to come out.


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[Coveyleader]

There are some nice bows out there for sure. I’m still rocking the 2001 model.

 

[Dave0317]

That’s all part of the reason I may go to trad bows only in the near future. For under $1000 you can have a pretty much top of the line complete set up.

In the compound world, $1299 is just the start of a bare flagship bow. If you have a top of the line compound, the top of the line accessories could be another $1000. Bow sights for $300-$500, quiver for about $200. Rest, $150-$300. Stabilizer for $100+
Then you still need a release and arrows.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

I have a top of the line sbxt that’s redone and looks better and shoots just as good to (me).
Haven’t bought a new bow in a long time and won’t.They are the opposite of guns and a horrible investment.Find one you like and don’t drink the cool aid.

 

[survivalistd]

Still shooting my RX1 and love it. Ill change quivers and other parts and feels like a new bow again.

 

[dreamingWest]

Compound bows are like smart phones. Incremental changes each year. I see no reason to change the business model. I also see no reason to upgrade every year. Every 4-5 years seems like a the sweet spot for me.

Most bow companies are really only bringing out new features or tech every two to three years. The gap years they fill in their line-up with long draw models, short draw models, turbos, etc.

 

[Mikido]

Yes it does blow

 

[jmez]

It's a hobby not an investment.

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[NMJM]

People like a new shiny new penny every year. Even though that new penny does the same thing as an old penny. For some unknown reason there is a drive in most humans that makes us want to buy the latest, greatest and most expensive toy. Combine that with marketing and advertising geniuses and we cannot help ourselves. You see it in every aspect of society, watches, jewelry, skies, golf clubs, you name it. It is very rare a company comes out with a new product that truly increases performance. Almost all of us will shoot the exact same groups with a 2025 bow as a 2015 bow. Almost all of us will talk about how smooth, quiet and dead in the hand a new bow is. We feel these things because that is what the influencers tell us. It is the same as the placebo affect with medicine. It is a very powerful and real thing but also all in our head.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Yep, when you compare a 2004, 2014, and 2024 bows, the '14 and '24 are close in performance and technology, while there is a huge difference between the '04 and '14.

Not a huge difference in being able to kill a deer though. The man is the difference in that aspect. A 2024 bow isn’t going to kill a deer any better than a 2004 bow will.

Bows are a buy once and hunt forever with it proposition for me barring the bow becoming damaged beyond repair. My Mathews DXT killed 1 buck and 2 does this year. So pretty much the same as every year i’ve owned it since i bought it new. It’s crazy to me people buy new bows when they have one that works just fine.

 

[Yoder]

I think some of it comes down to people thinking they can buy skill. Once something is reliable and more accurate than you are, it doesn't matter that much. You have to be extremely talented before you would actually see the benefit in performance between a mid tier and top tier bow.

Other things people get hung up on are speed and weight. If it's 1 ounce lighter and 10 fps faster than last year they gotta have it!

I'm glad people keep buying them. I'm hoping to get a really sweet used bow this year to upgrade my 2008 Bowtech.

 

[LFC911]

Sold my RX1 last year for ~$650 and bought an RX5 Ultra for $700...not gonna pay $2k for a new bare bow that depreciates so quickly. I like new stuff but an RX9 isn't going to kill it any deader than an older RX.